This archive report was first published on 21 May 2020.
On May 21, 2020, a satirical mock-up of the Tokyo Olympics logo, combining the coronavirus cell with the Tokyo 2020 logo, was removed from the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan's (FCCJ) in-house magazine after Olympic organisers deemed it "insensitive" and a copyright infringement.
The Tokyo 2020 Olympics were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has caused widespread disruption and loss of life. The postponement, announced on March 24, 2020, was a significant blow to the Olympic organisers.
Speaking to reporters, FCCJ president Khaldon Azhari expressed "sincere regret" for the publication of the image, stating that it was "not strong" in its legal defence against a potential copyright breach.
Tokyo 2020 chief executive Toshiro Muto praised the FCCJ's decision, saying that it was "appropriate" and in line with the Olympic organisers' expectations.
This is not the first time the Tokyo 2020 logo has been at the centre of controversy. In 2015, the original emblem was scrapped due to claims of plagiarism from a Belgian designer.
